


Fall and Free

by 27dis



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Urban Fantasy, Angst, Hopeful Ending, M/M, Pining, Wingfic, moodboard
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-02
Updated: 2021-01-02
Packaged: 2021-03-11 00:01:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,069
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28495752
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/27dis/pseuds/27dis
Summary: Birds aren’t meant to keep in cages,Steve always reminds himself as he watches Sam everyday. Sam isn’t a bird, but his wings demand the same. He knows the winged man is longing for freedom, for him to do as he pleases with his wings, for him to fly away somewhere, completely free with worry and guilt.So they run. Together.
Relationships: Steve Rogers & Sam Wilson, Steve Rogers/Sam Wilson
Comments: 7
Kudos: 16
Collections: Star Spangled Secret Santa 2020





	Fall and Free

**Author's Note:**

  * For [PlaguedQuillfeathers (PlagueBirbizzle)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/PlagueBirbizzle/gifts).



> For my giftee:  
> Merry very late Christmas and Happy New Year!! Sorry this came out late from Christmas, but I hope you enjoy it nonetheless! I hope you has a great Christmas and an even greater year this 2021!!

The papers make Steve worry. _Too much_ , as Sam would say. But he can’t help it. Not when their lives are on the line. Not when Sam’s life is on the line. Steve refuses to let it happen.

He reads over the information on the folder. Sam said it’s all he has. Considering the purge of the building and laboratorium, Steve sees no other choice to depend on it despite it being very limited. The wings growing on Sam’s back is more than strange, as strange as nature itself, even the user knows next to nothing about it.

Researching for sources outside Sam and the folder doesn’t help either. All he finds is the word ‘strange’ and ‘dangerous’ plastered everywhere. When he seeks for Natasha’s help, all she can do is just keep searching, eventually finding all of what Steve already knows.

 _“Because there is nothing else we can do,”_ Sam had said when he relayed this to him. _“The truth has come out,”_ he had said. _“All I can do is run.”_

Steve doesn’t like it. The word ‘I’ on Sam’s tongue, he means.

It doesn’t suit him.

 _“We,”_ he decided that day. He also doesn’t like the look of surprise on Sam’s face. As if he wasn’t sure that Steve would actually go with him. But the blonde packed like there is no tomorrow, rushed but complete, as they both bolted to the plane.

Time passes since that day, here they are, with almost nothing new in their hands, except the despair feeling slowly creeping over Steve’s heart. It’s silly, really. If anyone, it should be Sam who is feeling down everyday, the weight of his wings on his back feeling like a burden rather than a pride. Sam never said that, but sometimes Steve can see it in his eyes. on the way he would eye the birds flying around the warehouse, looking wistful as his wings would twitch.

 _Birds aren’t meant to keep in cages_ , Steve always reminds himself as he watches Sam everyday. Sam isn’t a bird, but his wings demand the same. He knows the winged man is longing for freedom, for him to do as he pleases with his wings, for him to fly away somewhere, completely free with worry and guilt.

But whenever Sam catches Steve staring, the look in his eyes would be gone in a second, like what he just saw was just something he had imagined, a smile would blossom on his face, and the wings would flap on his back. His eyebrows would go up, questioning him, as his head would tilt to the left just a bit, probably confused, but his eyes are as kind as always. Brown and big, full with hope of what will come in the future.

Sam looks as beautiful as ever. With wings or not. The delicate looking thing just adds to his irresistible charm. Steve hopes in his life that someday, surely, the world would also see it like that.

For now, he settles to being there for Sam.

“Hey,” Steve says, like usual.

“Hey,” Sam greets back, like usual.

Then they stare at each other, like usual. Sam isn’t looking outside the window again, like usual. He stares at Steve’s eyes, big and true, with a charming smile on his face, like usual. The wings flap again from behind Sam and Steve’s eyes are on them instantly, eyeing them with great interest, like usual. Sam notices his staring, like usual.

This time though, Sam doesn’t ruffle them and hide them away. This time, the wings flap again, make a slight ruffle, but then they are on their full size, stretching beside Sam’s body. Steve’s eyes go wide at the motion, mouth slightly agape as he realizes that Sam is actually stretching his wings in front of him, something he wouldn’t do before. As much as Steve tells him that he loves his wings, that he doesn’t mind it, he never actually sees it fully. Sam hides the part beneath the outer fur carefully, something he said he never shows to anyone before.

“What do we have for breakfast?” Sam asks with a nonchalantly manner, as if he didn’t just reveal _his full wings_. Steve is left there, mouth opens, eyes fixed on the white furs.

“You are staring.” Steve doesn’t see his face, but he is pretty sure the man is smirking.

“I— yeah,” he says finally, his mouth suddenly feels dry. “They are—”

“What?” Sam asks when Steve doesn’t complete his sentence. “Weirder that you’d expect?”

“—beautiful,” Steve finishes. Now it’s Sam’s turn that looks surprised. He quickly regains his posture though, eyeing the blonde suspiciously.

“Flattery won’t get you nowhere,” he says with no real heat.

“I’m just being honest.”

“Really?”

“Really.”

Sam snorts at how distracted he sounds. He tries to flap his wings again, noticing Steve’s eyes follow their moves. And, yeah, okay, Steve is following their every move. How can he not when something that gorgeous is in front of his face?

“Rogers, I asked you what’s for breakfast, not to stare at my wings all morning,” Sam chuckles, interrupting his staring session.

“Uh, yeah, uh, we have, uh, bread.”

“Aw, don’t sound so embarrassed, old man.” Next thing Steve knows, Sam is already standing beside him, facing the opposite direction, with his wings lazily stretched beside him, practically shoved in front of Steve’s nose. “I might think you have a crush on me.” He doesn’t get to say anything before Sam walks away, probably to the kitchen, dragging his wings with him, but not before caressing his shoulder lightly.

Steve is once again left there, still stunned by the whole ordeal. He shakes his head quickly as soon as he regains composure because this is not the time to have a crush on his best friend. They are on the run, constantly moving from place to place, with no hope of settling in the near future.

 _It’s dangerous_ , Steve reminds himself, to fall in love with someone as mysterious as Sam.

Fall in love.

Huh.

How did he even get to that conclusion?

His mind is playing with him, he concludes. And he has no time for it. He still has a lot to search about, ask about, find about.

It’d be inconvenient to let some mere feelings get on his way.

Steve laughs at how pathetic he sounds, even in his head.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you folks are having a good holiday <3


End file.
